Success Beyond the Finishing Line - SMC University and Marussia Virgin Racing Team Up

Zug, Switzerland, February 28, 2011 --(PR.com)-- Marussia Virgin Racing and SMC University – a perfect match. This is the story of two visions that successfully came to life within the utmost competitive and challenging arenas; Formula One and higher education. SMC University is proud to be supporting one of the most innovative and appealing names in motorsport.

The partnership with Marussia Virgin Racing will allow SMC University, which offers cutting edge “Motor Sports Management” courses alongside a wide range of higher education programs, to engage with the Formula One community as well as the Team, creating various on and off-track activities such as practical work experience programs within the Marussia Virgin Racing and Virgin Group commercial departments, as well as business symposiums at the team’s headquarters. This will afford SMC’s students the opportunity to benefit from sharing extensive knowledge, insights, and an enhanced learning experience.

Michael Schmelczer, CEO of SMC University, commented:

“I am delighted and proud to announce the partnership between SMC University and the Marussia Virgin Racing Formula One Team, especially since it is quite unique for a business school to seal an interest and investment in motorsports. SMC has always been driven to be unique, to be ahead, and to be in pole position. This partnership is a great signal to our learners and stakeholders as it proves that SMC's approach, development, and position is at the top - otherwise we would not be here. Furthermore and most importantly, I am excited that SMC students can directly benefit from this partnership through internships, placements, business symposiums, Virgin company visits, meet and greet sessions with management and, of course, through experiencing a world where education, corporate life, motorsports, and "lifestyle" combine. These are just a few of the benefits we expect from the partnership. By working closely with the team over time we look forward to developing many, many more!"

Andy Webb, CEO of Marussia Virgin Racing, commented:

“I’m thrilled to welcome SMC University to the team as an Official Partner. This is an example of yet another tailor-made partnership to suit the requirements of our individual sponsors. We are extremely proud to be supporting the education sector and to be working with such a major league establishment. I think this will be another great opportunity for both parties to develop together and learn a great deal from each other.”

About SMC University
SMC University is one of the world's most international business schools educating students from more than 120 different countries. Synonymous for excellence, SMC ranks amongst the leading institutions in its field – online education. SMC targets and educates those high achieving individuals who have a sense of individualism, and drive to stand out from the masses. SMC’s students are professionals aiming at further education, networking, and career enhancement while remaining flexible in place and time. Amongst SMC's Higher Education Programs the online MBA and online Doctorate (DBA) hold a pole-position in the education arena. SMC also offers a large portfolio of cutting-edge Certificate Courses, including the very popular and unrivaled “Motor Sports Management”- and “Luxury & Lifestyle Management” courses. SMC was created in 2002, specializing in high-quality online learning master and doctorate Programs targeted at professionals in executive positions. All courses are held entirely online offering an unsurpassed level of flexibility and discretion, an aspect especially important to those high-flyers publicly exposed. SMC brings top quality education to the living rooms, workplace, smart phone, and tablets of its students. Studying without frontiers and boundaries - the Transfer of Knowledge via Technology - Transknowlogy

www.smcuniversity.com

About Marussia Virgin Racing
Virgin Racing entered the FIA Formula One World Championship in 2010, beating off stiff competition from a number of contenders for one of the new team entries. The team was originally conceived by John Booth and Graeme Lowdon, whose Manor Motorsport operation in the North of England achieved unrivalled Formula 3 success and played a major role in the development of several of today’s greatest motor racing talents. They joined forces with designer Nick Wirth, who returned to F1 after a decade enjoying remarkable results in Indy Racing and Le Mans sports car development in the USA with his innovative and low-cost design approach. Together with the commercial firepower of Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin, one of the most recognised, respected and exciting brands in the world, they created a new racing team concept, capitalising upon F1’s new economic dawn and the Resource Restriction Agreement that has begun to redefine the sport. Virgin Racing’s debut season was always going to be a tough test. The team had designed a brand new car entirely in the digital domain using CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) and without the very expensive wind tunnel testing capabilities deployed by the current Formula One teams - all in the space of just six months. In November 2010, Russian sports car manufacturer Marussia, who had sponsored Virgin Racing throughout its debut season and witnessed at close quarters its true grit and enormous potential, acquired a significant shareholding in the team, securing its long-term future and ensuring that it can continue to go from strength to strength in pursuit of its racing ambitions. For the 2011 season the team is known as Marussia Virgin Racing.

www.marussiavirginracing.com

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